Configure the Master Server to accept connections from a SUSE Manager Slave Server

A SUSE Manager Server does not allow any other SUSE Manager Server to connect. You need to allow it explicitly.

Modify /etc/rhn/rhn.conf and add the hostnames of the allowed slaves to allowed_iss_slaves options:

# Use this option if this server is intended to be a master
# Comma separated list of allowed iss slaves, like:
allowed_iss_slaves=slave1.example.com,slave2.example.com

Additionally take care, that the option disable_iss is set to '0'

After changing the config, please restart the SUSE Manager Server:

$> spacewalk-service restart

Now you need to refresh the NCC Sync data with:

$> mgr-ncc-sync --refresh

Configure the SUSE Manager Slave Server

A SUSE Manager Slave Server connect only to its master server. A Connection to NCC is not needed.

During initial setup

We have enhanced the yast module which setup a SUSE Manager Server to be able to setup a Slave server.
To test this, please install a new SUSE Manager Server from the appliance ISO and update all the packages before you
start the yast module:

Use Inter Server Sync

On a SUSE Manager Slave the functions of mgr-ncc-sync are limited. The tool you should use to sync channels is now
mgr-inter-sync. (This is a symlink to satellite-sync)

List available channels:

$> mgr-inter-sync --list-channels

Sync a channel:

$> mgr-inter-sync --channel <channel label>

Refresh all channels which are available in this server:

$> mgr-inter-sync

Forward Registrations to NCC

Slave server forward the registrations to NCC by using the parent as a proxy.
A SUSE Manager Server acting as a parent accept register and de-register operations
and forward them directly to his parent. The first SUSE Manager Server will send these
requests to NCC and return the answer back the chain to the original requesting server.

There are some checks implemented which needs to be passed before a SUSE Manager Server forward
such a request. It checks, if the requesting slave is in the allowed list and it checks
the user and password. These must match the first configured mirror credential.

Open questions

Register a SUSE Manager Slave to its parent and get updates from the parent is currently not
supported. To every beta tester the question, if this is needed and wanted.